Australia is a very unionised country, much more than the UK & when I was there (mid 90's) there were lots of strikes. Most western contries, including the USA, get strikes. It's part of living in a democracy.

The truckers at Fremantle blocked the port yesterday. They are peed off at having to wait up to 10 hrs for cargo to be unloaded and being treatred as second class citizens by the shipping companies... dunno if it's going to continue..

The unions in Aus are still very strong, but not as strike happy as they used to be. The BLF I think was the most militant of the builders unions.
They went on strike during the construction of Darling Harbour in sydney because the smell coming from Chinatown was making them hungry and they demanded a 'dim sum' allowance. I believe they were successful.

God in Melbourne alone we have a strike on an average of twice a week, mainly the Builders and the like unions.

I've just finished working for a company who's sites only close on christmas day.So any bank holidays when everbody else was off we worked(much the same as the fire service who work 24/7,365
days a year!!!!).
The company want to take away our lieu days,to save money for the SHAREHOLDERS.

Firemen,just about 3 months ago at the height of the strike (which I fully supported)We had a house fire just behind us,in which Tragically a young lady lost her life,leaving a baby daughter and a fantastic husband.We all tried to do what we could until the fire service arrived,WE WERE HELPLESS,the firemen went straight in and brought this lady out without a second thought,they deserve every single penny.If my company had asked to give up my lieu days for a fireman I would have no hesitation.

Labour USED to be for the working class,until 1979 when the Thatcherites came along and it was dog eat dog(some of which still exists today)which gave rise to the far left socialist party(Derek Hatton&co)these destroyed the true labour party,giving rise to the pink tories we have in power today.Leaving the true working class man with no other option than to put up or shut up.

We now have a minimum wage(just)so as the unskilled can go out to work to make it pay,I can remember less than 15 years ago working for 1.30 (pounds)an hour.I worked a 105 hour week to put food in the cupboard.(My employer charged 9 pounds an hour for my services(security)).The minimum wage was only introduced to keep the grassroots "labour voter"sweet.

The British public are totally disallusioned with politics,not one party can claim to have a manifesto to differ or compete with any opposing party,adding to the confusion.Suffice to say for me it's time to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Politicians are the same the world over, Chris - they've got their trotters firmly in the public trough, and are in it for themselves, not the people they supposedly represent. (There are, I'm sure, some who truly feel that they are benefitting the public they 'serve', but I've yet to meet any.) I am very suspicious of anyone who tells me it's 'for your own good'. Whenever I hear those words, I check for my wallet! You have to ask 'what are they getting out of this?', and then you see that usually the answer is: power / money / the 'feel good' factor / control and various other 'rewards'.

I reckon that if someone wants to 'serve the people' then they should pay for it themselves. No salary, no expenses, no payback. That should eliminate 99.9% of the buggers, straight away!

Now watch all the bleeding hearts jump on me!

The right to withdraw your labour was fought and in many cases died for by our forefathers. You should know your English history before laying in to workers who are fighting for their rights. Ever heard of the Tolpuddle Martyrs etc? Whilst the times have changed the same freedoms haven't. There are virtually no strikes in NZ but then with no manufacturing industry and a small infrastructure it's not surprising is it?

It really gets my goat when someone just drops in a post somthing like "Ever heard of the Tolpuddle Martyrs etc?" some of us might not have, so why not add a link so that we can go and get some info. and maybe understand the point a bit better. I had never heard of them but now I have read the story I am a little wiser.

http://www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/